The days passed in the blink of an eye, and as usual, Adalric had been away for a while. He had left clear instructions for Robert to take care of Kael and Irelia during his absence, justifying it by stating that there were still important matters to resolve. Despite his absence, the routine in the mansion continued full of life.
That morning, the sound of steel clashing echoed through the large courtyard of the mansion.
"Ha!" Kael shouted, his voice filled with energy and determination as his training swords met Irelia’s in a quick and intense exchange of blows.
Irelia, in turn, had a mischievous smile on her face. "You’re getting better, but you’re still far from catching up to me!" she teased, skillfully dodging Kael’s next attack and countering with a swift move that forced him to step back a few paces.
Kael panted, but his eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. "Oh, really? Let’s see if you still say that after this!" He advanced again, gripping his swords firmly, trying to surprise her with an unpredictable sequence of attacks.
The wooden blades crossed and cracked in the air, each strike reverberating in the morning silence. The training between the two was far from just a playful game; they were both taking the fight seriously, but with a lightness that only friendship could bring.
"Hey, that was good!" Irelia praised, narrowly avoiding a lateral strike. She spun on her axis and tried to unbalance Kael with a quick kick, but he jumped back with agility.
"You talk too much!" Kael replied, trying to hide the pride inside. He loved how each fight with Irelia challenged him more than anything before.
Outside the courtyard, Robert watched everything with his arms crossed, a faint smile on his usually serious face. "They have plenty of energy, no doubt. Maybe it’s time to add weights to the training..." he muttered to himself.
Back on the training field, Irelia quickly jumped back, raising her wooden sword into a defensive position. She looked at Kael and said, with a nearly provoking tone, "Are you getting tired, Kael? Need a break?"
Kael wiped the sweat from his forehead with his arm, but his eyes were still fixed on her. "Not a chance. I’m winning this time!" Continue your adventure at freewebnovel
She laughed loudly. "Great! Then show me what you’re capable of!"
As the training continued, the rhythm of the blows slowed down as fatigue began to take over both of them. Kael and Irelia exchanged intense looks, like two warriors determined not to give in. However, a sudden distraction broke the moment.
"Watch out!" Irelia shouted, but it was too late.
Kael, too focused on landing a decisive strike, didn’t notice a stone on the ground. His foot tripped, and he lost his balance, falling directly toward Irelia.
With quick reflexes, she dropped her sword and tried to catch him, but the move was clumsy. They both ended up falling together onto the soft grass, a tangle of arms and legs. Kael fell first, with Irelia landing on top of him.
For a moment, the world seemed to go silent. The sound of the wind in the trees and the birds’ songs in the background faded away, leaving only the sound of their heavy breaths.
"Ugh... you’re heavy!" Irelia murmured, but her voice was soft, almost like a laugh.
Kael opened his eyes and realized the proximity between them. Irelia’s face was only inches from his, her golden eyes shining in the sunlight. He could see the small details on her face, from the loose strands of hair framing her expression to the sheen of sweat on her skin.
"Sorry... I think I got a little too carried away," Kael said, his voice slightly trembling.
Irelia blinked, realizing how close they were. The heat rose to her face, and she tried to pull away, but her arm was trapped under his weight.
"You really don’t know how to fall gracefully, do you?" she said, trying to ease the tension with a joke, but her tone betrayed a hint of nervousness.
Kael chuckled softly, even though he could feel his own heart pounding in his chest. "And you really don’t know how to get off of people, huh?"
The two of them stayed like that for a moment, the silence only filled by the sound of their breathing. Both of them knew it was just an accident, but something about the situation felt... different. A current of something inexplicable passed between them.
Finally, Irelia managed to free herself, quickly sitting beside him and avoiding his gaze. "You’re a disaster," she said, though a shy smile played on her lips.
Kael also sat up, rubbing the back of his head. "Hey, this was your fault! You were in the way," he joked, trying to mask the discomfort he felt.
"Oh, of course, it’s my fault," she retorted, laughing. But her laugh seemed more nervous than usual.
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Robert, who had been watching everything from a distance, let out an almost imperceptible sigh. "Kids..." he murmured to himself before stepping away to avoid interrupting.
As Irelia picked up her fallen sword and Kael stood up, both avoided looking directly at each other. But deep down, each of them felt a new spark—something they hadn’t recognized until now.
"Shall we... one more round?" Kael asked, trying to break the silence.
Irelia looked at him, and for a brief moment, something softened in her eyes. "Sure. But this time, try not to fall on top of me, okay?"
Kael laughed, but the slight redness in his cheeks betrayed that he wasn’t as calm as he appeared. "I’ll try..."
Because I’m embarrassed! I’m over twenty!! Kael raged to himself, but... Puberty chemical reaction...?
...
[Location: In a mansion in the Capital of Azalith]
"My lady, please try to calm down!" The melodious voice of a maid echoed through the room. Her delicate figure, with vibrant orange hair tied in a bun and bright green eyes, reflected genuine concern. The impeccable maid uniform, in classic black and white, swayed slightly as she followed the restless figure around the room.
"I can’t!!" responded a cheerful voice, accompanied by the rhythmic sound of heels bouncing on the soft mattress.
The figure causing the commotion was a young girl with sun-kissed skin who seemed to overflow with energy. Her snow-white hair fluttered with every movement, and her green eyes sparkled with an almost hypnotizing intensity. She didn’t look older than sixteen, but her vitality seemed to fill the room with a contagious aura of happiness.
"Please, get down from there! You might hurt yourself!" the maid insisted, trying to reach the young girl who seemed to completely ignore her pleas.
"How can I calm down, Emilly? I can’t! I can’t!" she exclaimed, laughing with a smile so pure and full of joy that it made Emilly’s heart waver between frustration and relief at seeing her so excited.
"But, miss, if you keep going like this... you’ll end up breaking something!" Emilly tried to argue again, adjusting the cuffs of her uniform with a nervous gesture.
The young girl paused for a moment, only to spin in the air and land lightly in the center of the bed. Her eyes still gleamed, and she clapped her hands together in pure excitement before jumping again, unable to contain her enthusiasm.
"He’s here, Emilly! He’s in Azalith!" The declaration came with a joyful laugh.
Emilly blinked, surprised by the almost delirious tone of the young girl. "He... you mean..." she started, her voice hesitant.
"Yes! Him! My savior! My first love!" The joy in the young girl’s voice was almost palpable. Her radiant expression was a mix of sweetness and innocence, and her cheeks were slightly flushed as she threw herself onto the bed, laughing to herself.
The sight did something to warm Emilly’s heart. How could someone so small exude so much happiness? In the past eight years, since the young girl had been rescued from a cruel fate, Emilly had never seen her so animated.
"Princess, please be careful!" Emilly begged once again, but her voice no longer had the same conviction.
"Oh, Emilly, you don’t understand!" The white-haired girl rolled on the bed, her arms stretched dramatically. "He’s the one who changed everything for me! He saved me when I was... when I thought no one would come!"
Emilly sighed, walking over to the side of the bed and crossing her arms. She knew insisting wouldn’t help. The princess was lost in her own thoughts, basking in her memories.
"My heart is beating so fast! What do you think I should do when I see him?" The young girl sat up quickly, resting her chin on her hands as she looked at Emilly with sparkling eyes.
"Maybe... start by getting off that bed and not acting like a little child?" Emilly suggested with a contained smile, but the princess only laughed.
"Oh, you’re so boring, Emilly!" she teased, but her laugh was so contagious that the maid couldn’t help but smile slightly.
Finally, the young girl stopped jumping and sat at the edge of the bed, taking a deep breath as if she needed to compose herself. But her eyes still shone with an almost innocent expectation.
"Do you think he will recognize me, Emilly?" she murmured softly, her confidence wavering for a brief moment.
The maid knelt beside her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "How could he forget someone like you, my lady?"
The princess smiled shyly, but soon her determination returned, lighting up the room again with her energy.
"Then that’s it! I’m going to see him! No matter what!" she exclaimed, jumping to her feet and pointing to the door as if leading an expedition.
"Princess Sylphie, be careful!!" Emilly exclaimed as the young girl nearly stumbled while rushing out.
"I’m fine! I’m fine!" Sylphie called back, her laughter echoing down the halls as Emilly followed her, shaking her head with a resigned smile.